Distributor for grain and the like



y 1958 R. l. PATTERSO 2,842,242

DISTRIBUTOR FOR GRAIN AND THE LIKE Filed Jul 2. 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 50i %g/ I u u INVENTORY.

' fif/orxregj' y 58 R. I. PATTERSON 2,842,242

DISTRIBUTOR FOR GRAIN AND THE LIKE I Filed July. 2, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet2 IN V EN TOR.

2,842,242 Patented July 8, 1958 United States Patent fifice 2,842,242DISTRIBUTOR FOR GRAIN AND THE LIKE Roy 1. Patterson, Minneapolis, Minn.

Application July 2, 1956, Serial No. 595,274

4 Claims. (Cl. 193-23) This invention relates to improvements in adistributor used in a grain elevator for distributing grain or similaraggregates to suitable conduits extending to individual storage bins. Ingeneral, the invention is concerned with a compact self-containeddistributor of a generally arcuate or sector shape containing a singleinlet in the upper or apex portion thereof and a multiplicity of outletsin the lower curved portion thereof. Within the interior of the casing,so as to conserve valuable head space, is a funnelshaped hopper and aswinging spout cooperating with the lower extremity of the hopper andadapted to register with each of the outlets for distributing theaggregate to any one of the outlets and thence to suitable conduits toan individual 'bin.

In the practice of handling grain, following the harvest thereof, it istransported from the farm to nearby country elevators for temporarystorage. The elevator consists of a multiplicity of storage bins withina single building over which is mounted a cupola containing graindistributing mechanism. Grain is elevated to the cupola by a conveyingsystem which connects with a distributor located in the cupola. Theproblem presented in the handling of grain is to minimize the amount ofhead space in the upper extremity of the elevator for the distributionof the grain and thereby reduce the cost of elevator construction. It isobvious that if a compact distributor can be constructed which willoccupy a minimum of head space above the grain bins, that the cost ofelevator construction can be reduced and the available space used to thegreatest efiiciency.

In the past, the matter ofconservation of head space within an elevatorhas been wholly ignored and the distributors used in the past were largeand bulky and were not self-contained, thereby giving rise to addedcosts in building construction and in the nuisance resulting from theleakage of dust emanating from the moving grain being dispersedthroughout the elevator and creating an explosion hazard.

In the present invention, I have provided a space-conserving distributorin the form of a compact sectorshaped casing having a single inlet atthe apex located at the top of the casing and a multiplicity of outletopenings in the arcuate base of the casing. Within the interior of thecasing is an internal funnel-shaped hopper for receiving the incominggrain. A spout is contained within the casing with its upper end beneaththe lower end of the hopper to receive the grain therefrom. The spout ispivotally supported for swinging movement between each of the severaloutlet openings so as to convey grain from the hopper to any selectedopening. A sealing boot formed of laterally telescoping plates ispivotally disposed within the spout and supported by the casing adjacentthe lower extremity of the hopper to form a leakproof connection betweenthe hopper and the upper end of the spout. Means are provided forswinging'the spout between the several outlet openings, and lockingmeans are provided which engage the spout with a portion of the casingso as to lock the spout with respect to each of the outlet openings.

An object of the invention is to provide a compact distributor for grainand the like embodying a sectorshaped casing having an inlet at the apexand a multiplicity of outlets at the arcuate periphery, said casingcontaining an internal hopper and a swinging spout adapted to connectthe hopper witheach of the outlets within the interior of the casing,thereby enclosing the connections within the casing and minimizing thelength of the swinging spout.

Another object is to provide a distributior embodying an enclosed casingcontaining a hopper and a swinging spout within the casing and beneaththe hopper and with portions of the upper part of the spout removed topermit swinging movement of the spout relative to the hopper,

together with a sealing boot formed of laterally telescoping partswithin the spout and pivoted adjacent the lower extremity of the hopperto prevent leakage between the hopper and the spout. 1

A further object is to provide a distributor embodying an enclosedcasing of a generally arcuate or sector shape with a multiplicity ofoutlet openings disposed along the arcuate periphery, said casingcontaining a hopper and 'a pivotally swinging spout adapted to registerbetween the hopper and each of the outlet openings, together with acontrol mechanism for moving the spout into registry with each of theoutlet openings, and indexing means carried by the casing and engageablewith a portion of the control means for locking the spout relative toeach of the outlet openings.

Other and further objects may become apparent from the folowingspecification and claims, and in the appended drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a grain distributor forming the presentinvention;

Fig. 2 is an exploded viewof the distributor shown in Fig. 1 showing therelationship of internal construction; and,

Figs. 3 and 4 are detailed views of the distributing spout and partsforming the sealing boot within the interior of the distributor.

Having reference to the several figures of the drawings, the inventionwill now be described in detail.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, general reference numeral 10 indicatesthe improved grain distributor forming the present invention. Referencecharacter 12 indicates a sheet metal casing having the form of a sectorcomposed of vertically sloping side plates 14, 16 joined to anarcuate-shaped base plate 18. Sector-shaped side plates 20, 22 join theend plates 14, 16 and the arcuateshaped base plate 18. The base plate 18is provided with a multiplicity of spaced openings 24, and secured tothe outer side of the base plate 18 in registry with the openings 24 area multiplicity of conduits 26, each of which is adapted to extend to anindividual grain bin of an elevator construction not shown. I

Secured to the upper edges of the side and end plates 14, 16, 20 and 22is a flange 28 preferably formed of angle iron to form a rim about anupper opening in casing 12 indicated by reference numeral 30. Afunnel-shaped hopper indicated generally in Fig. 2 by referencecharacter 32 is composed of side plates 34, 36 and laterally sloping endplates 38 and '40 all secured to a peripheral flange 42 of angle ironconstruction. The hopper 32 is disposed within the opening 30 secured toflange 28 by bolts 44. The hopper 32 is provided with an opening 46 inits lower extremity for disposing of material entering the hopper. i i IAs disclosed in Fig. 1, granular material such as grain would beconveyed to the"distributor bya conventional 3 conveyor here illustratedas a driven helix 48 disposed within a conduit 50.

Having reference to Figs. 2, 3 and 4, within the interior of casing 12is a spout 52 which is disposed beneath the opening 46 of the hopper 32.Spout 52 is disclosed as being rectangular in cross section and of agenerally tapered configuration. The opposite portions of the side wallsof spout 52 have their upper portions cut away as indicated by referencecharacters 54, 56 and with the center portions 58, 60 having aperturesin their upper limits whereby the spout may be pivotally supportedadjacent the upper extremity of casing 12 on pivotal means disclosed inFigs. 1, 3 and 4 by reference character 62. The reason for removing thelateral portions of the spout 52 adjacent the upper limits will beclearly evident in that the spout is adapted to laterally rotate on itspivotal support 62 with respect the lower extremity of the hopperthereby necessitating removal of portions of the upper lateral limits ofthe spout to permit swinging movement.

To prevent leakage of granular material through the removed portions ofthe upper lateral parts of the spout a sealing boot is providedconsisting of a pair of laterally bent end plates 64, 66 shown in Figs.2, 3 and 4. The end plates 64, 66 laterally telescope with respect toeach other and extend within the interior of spout 52. These end platesare pivotally supported on pivots 68, 70 adjacent the lower laterallimits of the sloping side plates 38, 40 of the funnel-shaped hopper 32,and these pivotal connections extend through the outer walls of casing12 as clearly seen in Fig. 1.

Mounted on the outer side of the casing 12 and adjacent the side plate20 is a linear member 72 which is fixed on pivotal member 62 to move inunison with the spout 52. The outer extremity of member 72 movesrelative to an arcuate shape indexing plate 74 that has a plurality ofnotches 76 formed therein each in alignment with a center of the severalopenings 24 and the connecting spouts 26. Member 72 may be moved inopposite directions by cords or cables 78, 80 that extend over pulleys82, 84. A pin 86 carried by member 72 is biased to an outwardlyextending position by an enveloping coil spring 90 working between apair of collars 92, 94 in such a manner that pin 86 will normally latchwith one of the recesses 76 in, the arcuate shaped member 74. Areleasing cable 96 is secured to the inner end of pin 86, and said cableis trained over a pulley 98.

The operation of the invention should be evident from the drawings andforegoing disclosure, but for sake of clarity it will now. be describedin detail. Aggregate is conveyed by any conventional means such as thehelix 48 working within the conduit 50 to the upper open side of thedistributor 10 and will fall by gravity into hopper 32 which is locatedwithin the interior of the casing 12. The spout 52 will be adjusted withrespect to one of the openings 24 in the arcuate shaped plate 18 and therespective conduit 26, by manually pulling on the cord 96 to release pin86, and thence also by pulling on cords 78 or 80 until spout 52 is inthe proper selected position, whence cable 96 is released and spring 90forces pin 86 into the appropriate slot 76. By reason of the cutoutportions of the upper extremity of spout 52 a wide area of leakage mightexist, except for the boot composed of the cooperating laterallytelescoping parts or end plates 64, 66 which enclose the upper lateralportions of spout 52 and thence extend inwardly within the spout. Aswill be clearly evident from examination of Figs. 3 and 4, thetelescoping parts 64, 66 being slightly offset with relation to eachother in their pivot mounting permits these parts to enclose the upperpart of spout 52, but to rotate with the spout into any of the arcuatepositions that the latter may assume with respect the several outletopenings. It will be noted from an examination of Fig. 4 that thetelescoping part 64 extends almost to the outer extremity of spout 52when the same is in an \xtreme position at the left side of the casing,and therefore, these parts and the swinging spout have been made asshort as possible so as to make the distributor as compact as possible,and with the hopper 32 located within the interior of casing 12. Thus,it will be evident that the sealing parts 64, 66 must extend into thespout 52 for a distance sufiicient to seal the spout in any of itsselected positions, and yet the spout need not be substantially longerthan the outer limits of the sealing parts to thereby add to thecompactness of the distributor.

The advantages of the invention reside in the compactness of thestructure embodying a hopper and a swinging spout contained within acasing which encloses the structure and also supports indexing andlocking means for locking the spout in a selected position.

A further advantage resides in the disposition of the hopper within thecasing, and the sealing boot composing the end parts which are supportedon the hopper adjacent the lower extremity thereof and within theinterior of the casing which encloses the several connections andprevents the dispersal of dust.

The invention is defined in the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a grain distributor embodying a hollow sectorshaped casing formedwith an inlet opening in the upper side thereof and a multiplicity ofoutlet openings in the lower arcuate periphery, a tubular spoutpivotally supported within said casing for swinging movement of theouter end thereof with respect said outlet openings, the improvementconsisting of a funnel-shaped hopper disposed within the interior ofsaid casing with its upper end coincident with said inlet opening andits lower end in registry with the upper end of said tubular spout toenclose the junction between the hopper and the spout within theinterior of the casing and also to minimize the distance between theupper limits of the hopper and the outlet openings in said casing.

2. A grain distributor, comprising a hollow sector shaped casing formedwith an inlet opening in the upper side thereof and a multiplicity ofoutlet openings in the arcuate periphery, a funnel-shaped hopperdisposed within the interior of the upper side of said casing with itsupper end coincident with said inlet opening and its lower end sealedwithin the interior of said casing, and a tubular spout pivotallysupported within said casing adjacent the upper limits of the casing,the lower end of said spout adapted to register with each of the outletopenings in the periphery of said casing, the upper pivoted portions ofsaid spout embracing portions of the hopper to enclose the junctionbetween the hopper and said spout within the interior of the casing.

3. A grain distributor, comprising a hollow sectorshaped casing formedwith an inlet opening in the upper side thereof and a multiplicity ofoutlet openings in the arcuate periphery, a funnel-shaped hopperdisposed within the interior of the upper side of said casing with itsupper open end coincident with said inlet opening and its lower endsealed within the interior of said casing, a tubular spout pivotallysupported within said casing adjacent the upper limits of the casing,the lower end of said spout adapted to register with each of the outletopenings in the periphery of said casing, the upper pivoted portions ofsaid spout embracing portions of the hopper, and a sealing boot composedof a pair of laterally telescoping parts pivotally supported adjacentthe lower limits of said hopper and extending Within the interior of thespout for movement with the spout for enclosing the outlet of saidhopper within the inner end of said spout.

4. A grain distributor, comprising a hollow sectorshaped casing formedwith an inlet opening in the upper side thereof and a multiplicity ofoutlet openings in the arcuate periphery, a funnel-shaped hopperdisposed within the interior of the upper side of said casing with itsupper open end coincident with said inlet opening and its lower indexingmember for locking said spout in indexing relationship With each of saidoutlet openings.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSMcArthur Mar. 12, 1918 Cooley June 4, 1918

